Why Cumin + Cheese Buns Are Great
Cumin (jeera) has a warm, slightly nutty, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with cheese.
Cheese gives richness, meltiness, and savory depth.
Buns allow you to enclose that flavor in soft bread — perfect for snacks, with soups, or even breakfast.
The trick is balancing moisture (so the cheese melts) without making the bun soggy.
There are several recipes online for “cumin cheese buns.” For example:
RecipeQuickAndEasy offers a fairly classic dough + cheese filling + cumin seeds version.
recipequickandeasy.com
MyHappyMood has a version with ground cumin and optionally cumin seeds, mixing cheese into the dough.
myhappymood.com
99YummyRecipes uses 3 cups flour, cumin seeds, yeast, milk, butter, egg, and a good amount of cheese.
99 Yummy Recipes
I’ll synthesize a robust version with extra explanations, tips, and possible variants.
Ingredients (for ~10–12 buns)
Below is a balanced “mid‑sized” version. You can scale up or down, but watch rising space.
Dough
Ingredient Quantity Role / notes
All-purpose flour 3 cups (≈ 360–400 g) Base structure
Active dry yeast 2¼ tsp (1 packet) Leavening
Warm milk ¾ cup Activates yeast, hydrates dough
Warm water ¼ cup Adjust hydration
Sugar 2 tbsp Feeds yeast, slight sweetness
Unsalted butter, melted ¼ cup Fat for tenderness
1 large egg 1 Binds, enriches
Salt 1 tsp Flavor
Filling / Flavoring
Shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or blend) — about 1½ cups (≈150–180 g)
recipequickandeasy.com
+2
99 Yummy Recipes
+2
Cumin seeds (toasted) — 1 tbsp (for crunchy bits)
recipequickandeasy.com
+2
myhappymood.com
+2
Optional: ground cumin (½ tsp) for extra aroma
Optional: fresh parsley or chopped herbs for freshness
For finishing
Egg wash (1 egg beaten + a splash of milk)
Extra cumin seeds or sesame seeds for sprinkling on top
Equipment & Setup
Mixing bowls
Dough hook (optional) or by hand kneading
Measuring tools
Baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone
Kitchen towel or plastic wrap
Oven preheated to ~ 190–200 °C (≈ 375–400 °F)
Cooling rack
Method: Step‑by‑Step
I break this into phases: mixing, first rise, shaping, second rise, baking, finishing.
1. Activate the Yeast
Combine warm milk + warm water + sugar in a small bowl (temperature ~ 38–43 °C / ~100–110 °F).
Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and let sit ~5–10 minutes until frothy and bubbly. This shows the yeast is alive.
2. Mix Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together flour + salt (and optionally ground cumin if using).
Make a well in the center. Into that, pour melted butter, the egg, and the activated yeast mixture.
Stir until the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough.
3. Knead
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface (or use a mixer with dough hook).
Knead for about 8–10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly springy.
If the dough is sticky, add a little flour (1 tbsp at a time). Avoid overflouring.
Optionally, during kneading you can incorporate a portion of the cheese (say half) so it disperses in the dough.
4. First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)
Lightly grease a bowl.
Place the kneaded dough in it, turning once to coat all sides.
Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size; typically 1 to 1½ hours (depending on temperature).
5. Prepare Filling & Flavor Mix
While dough rises, toast cumin seeds lightly in a dry skillet (over medium heat) until fragrant (10–20 seconds) — don’t burn.
Combine your shredded cheese and the toasted cumin seeds (and herbs if using) in a bowl.
This becomes your “filling / flavor mix.”
6. Shape the Buns
After first rise, gently punch down the dough to deflate and release gas.
Divide the dough into equal pieces (10‑12 pieces is good).
For each piece, flatten into a disk, place a spoonful of cheese & cumin mix in the center (not too much), and fold or seal — options:
Stuffed bun style: wrap dough fully around filling, pinch seams underneath
Fold-over / turnover style: fold in half and seal edges
Patch method: flatten, sprinkle filling, roll up (like a cinnamon roll, but savory)
Place shaped buns on the prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between for expansion.
Cover loosely with towel or wrap and proof (second rise) ~30–45 min until puffy.
7. Preheat Oven & Egg Wash
Preheat oven to ~ 190–200 °C (≈ 375–400 °F).
Beat an egg (or egg + milk) for the egg wash.
Just before baking, brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash.
Sprinkle extra cumin seeds or sesame seeds if desired.
8. Bake
Bake in preheated oven for ~ 15–25 minutes depending on size, until the buns are golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped.
If tops brown too quickly, tent with foil for the last few minutes.
The cheese inside should be melted and a bit gooey.
9. Cool & Serve
Remove buns from oven.
Cool on wire rack for a few minutes to prevent sogginess from steam.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips, Troubleshooting & Best Practices
Because cumin cheese buns combine flavor and structural challenges, here are many tips:
Use freshly toasted cumin seeds — their aroma is stronger than pre-ground.
Don’t overfill — too much cheese can lead to leakage and sogginess.
Ensure good yeast activity — if your yeast doesn’t froth, the dough won’t rise well.
Knead properly — develop enough gluten to hold shape but don’t overdo it.
Proof adequately — underproofed buns will be dense; overproofed ones may collapse.
Monitor oven heat — different ovens have hot spots; rotate tray if needed.
Vent holes or scoring — make small slits or holes to allow steam to escape so buns don’t burst unexpectedly.
Avoid dampness when cooling — use a rack so air circulates around.
Cheese choice matters — a good melting cheese (cheddar, Gouda, mozzarella) is ideal. Hard cheeses may not melt well; very soft cheeses may make it too liquid.
Herbs & spices — parsley, chives, garlic powder, or even a bit of black pepper complement the cumin + cheese.
Variants & Flavor Twists
Spicy version: add chili flakes or finely chopped jalapeño to cheese filling.
Cheese mix: combine sharp cheddar + mozzarella + a bit of parmesan for flavor + melt.
Herb infusion: add chopped thyme, rosemary, or oregano into the filling or dough.
Onion / garlic: sauté some finely minced onion or garlic and mix into the cheese filling (drain well) before stuffing.
Seed topping: use sesame seeds, nigella seeds, or poppy seeds instead of or along with cumin seeds.
Flatbread style: roll out the dough thinner, sprinkle cumin and cheese all over, roll up or fold and bake like a flat savory pastry.
Full Printable Master Version (Cumin Cheese Buns)
Cumin Cheese Buns
Yield: ~10–12 buns
Total Time: ~2½ hours (including rising)
Ingredients
Dough
3 cups (≈ 360–400 g) all-purpose flour
2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
¾ cup warm milk
¼ cup warm water
2 tbsp sugar
¼ cup melted unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
Filling / Flavor
1½ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or blend)
1 tbsp cumin seeds (toasted)
Optional: ½ tsp ground cumin, herbs
For finishing
Egg wash (1 egg + splash milk)
Extra cumin seeds or sesame seeds
Method
Activate yeast in warm milk + water + sugar; wait until frothy.
Mix flour + salt (+ ground cumin if using).
In well, add yeast mixture, melted butter, and egg; combine into dough.
Knead ~8–10 min until smooth & elastic.
Place dough into greased bowl, cover, rise until doubled (~1–1½ h).
Toast cumin seeds; mix with shredded cheese.
Punch down dough; divide into 10–12 pieces.
Shape buns with filling inside (stuffed or folded style).
Place on baking sheet, proof ~30–45 min until puffed.
Preheat oven 190‑200 °C. Brush buns with egg wash; sprinkle seeds.
Bake ~15–25 min until golden and baked through.
Cool on rack slightly. Serve warm or at room temp.
If you like, I can convert this into a metric / Morocco‑adapted version (using local cheeses, ovens, spices) or send step-by-step photos or video links. Veux‑tu ça ?
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